These parmesan “marshmallows” are actually made of gelatine and olive oil (Image: Renée Suen)

If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then Ferran Adrià—chef and co-owner of the now shuttered El Bulli, a restaurant on Catalonia’s Costa Brava that reigned as the World’s Best for many years—must be feeling the love right now. Since his landmark restaurant closed this summer, a number of chefs have been conducting various tributes, including Matt Kantor of Little Kitchen and Secret Pickle Supper Club, who hosted a three-night El Bulli-based menu at The Cookbook Store. The El Bulli Imitació menu came in at an impressive 22-courses—including snacks, tapas, main plates, desserts and “morphs” —spanning over two decades of the restaurant’s history. The four-and-a-half-hour affair was also the maiden voyage of The Cookbook Store’s brand new kitchen studio, a 29-year dream of store manager Alison Fryer (it also doubles as a showroom for home renovation outfit Rosemill Development Inc., which built the kitchen). Kantor told us he hoped to inspire diners to think of ordinary foods in a new light. “It was fun, tiring and frustrating, but worth it,” he said. “I wanted everything to be perfect. I think we did a pretty good job.” After the jump, our slideshow with pictures of each dish and some of the machines behind them, along with a few shots of the appreciative crowd.

Pineapple infused with fennel and star anise (2005): a mignardise of sorts that refreshed the palate after 21 courses.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Earth (2005): A unanimous favourite amongst the evening’s diners. This plate featured powdered yogurt, peach and cocoa with candied hazelnuts made to resemble dirt, along with a truffle boulder (35 per cent milk chocolate ice cream that was flash frozen on the anti-griddle) and chocolate sorbet. The crumbly mixture melted in the mouth.

Earth (2005): A unanimous favourite amongst the evening’s diners. This plate featured powdered yogurt, peach and cocoa with candied hazelnuts made to resemble dirt, along with a truffle boulder (35 per cent milk chocolate ice cream that was flash frozen on the anti-griddle) and chocolate sorbet. The crumbly mixture melted in the mouth.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Apple (2007): brown butter sponge cake paired with yogurt, apple sorbet, honey, cinnamon and a single blueberry. This was the first of the dessert courses. A microwave was used to make the sponge cake in this course.

Apple (2007): brown butter sponge cake paired with yogurt, apple sorbet, honey, cinnamon and a single blueberry. This was the first of the dessert courses. A microwave was used to make the sponge cake in this course.

Teppan nitro-frozen soursop cream with coffee caviar (2004): soursop fruit infused into an ice cream-like base, frozen on the anti-griddle then topped with nutty chia seeds that have been rehydrated and steeped in espresso

Teppan nitro-frozen soursop cream with coffee caviar (2004): soursop fruit infused into an ice cream-like base, frozen on the anti-griddle then topped with nutty chia seeds that have been rehydrated and steeped in espresso

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Chef John Placko of Maple Leaf Foods assisted Kantor on all three evenings. Placko not only helped, but brought various pieces of Modernist Cuisine–style equipment, like this anti-griddle that can freeze items down to -30 degrees

Chef John Placko of Maple Leaf Foods assisted Kantor on all three evenings. Placko not only helped, but brought various pieces of Modernist Cuisine–style equipment, like this anti-griddle that can freeze items down to -30 degrees

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Sesame sponge cake with miso (2009): mild and moist microwaved sponge cake served torn with thick smears of miso for a slightly sweet and savoury dish.

Sesame sponge cake with miso (2009): mild and moist microwaved sponge cake served torn with thick smears of miso for a slightly sweet and savoury dish.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Swallow’s nest with coconut and grapefruit (2003): Instead of a traditional swallow’s nest (an Asian delicacy used in dessert soups), diners were served a tangle of agar noodles that looked like a nest, bathed in coconut milk and grapefruit.

Swallow’s nest with coconut and grapefruit (2003): Instead of a traditional swallow’s nest (an Asian delicacy used in dessert soups), diners were served a tangle of agar noodles that looked like a nest, bathed in coconut milk and grapefruit.

Evolution of the hot ‘tortilla de patatas Marc Singla’ foam (1998): a deconstructed version of Spain’s national dish. Caramelized onions are topped with a rich sabayon and airy egg white potato foam.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Spherical mozzarella (2005): The first of the tapas plates, this “encapsulated” Ontario Burrata looks like a skinless ravioli, but hides a liquid gush of mild cream that’s been blended with the milky cheese.

Spherical mozzarella (2005): The first of the tapas plates, this “encapsulated” Ontario Burrata looks like a skinless ravioli, but hides a liquid gush of mild cream that’s been blended with the milky cheese.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Sometimes the process of consumption is just as important (or at least as fun) as the food itself. Here the group bonded over the pipetas.

Sometimes the process of consumption is just as important (or at least as fun) as the food itself. Here the group bonded over the pipetas.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Pipetas of cream and mushroom (2001): an interactive course where guests were instructed to squeeze the warm cream-filled bulb of the Pasteur pipette (pipeta in Spanish) as they consumed the meaty grilled king oyster mushroom threaded at the end of its shaft.

Pipetas of cream and mushroom (2001): an interactive course where guests were instructed to squeeze the warm cream-filled bulb of the Pasteur pipette (pipeta in Spanish) as they consumed the meaty grilled king oyster mushroom threaded at the end of its shaft.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Popcorn with Reypenaer cheese and nutmeg (2005): This is one dish that can actually be replicated at home—it’s just microwaved butter popcorn that’s topped with savoury Reypenaer cheese before being baked (one attendee called it “Gourmet Smart Pop”)

Popcorn with Reypenaer cheese and nutmeg (2005): This is one dish that can actually be replicated at home—it’s just microwaved butter popcorn that’s topped with savoury Reypenaer cheese before being baked (one attendee called it “Gourmet Smart Pop”)

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Avocado chips with crab (1991): thimble-sized bites of shredded crab wrapped with a thin layer of slightly under-ripe avocado. “Wrapping foods with other foods is a thing Adrià likes to do,” explained Kantor.

Avocado chips with crab (1991): thimble-sized bites of shredded crab wrapped with a thin layer of slightly under-ripe avocado. “Wrapping foods with other foods is a thing Adrià likes to do,” explained Kantor.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Hot-Frozen Gin Fizz (2011): the two-layered lemony cocktail featured an icy and sweet gin-based drink topped with a warm white foam made from lemon-infused 68-degree egg. This one was much talked about during the first flight of snacks.

Hot-Frozen Gin Fizz (2011): the two-layered lemony cocktail featured an icy and sweet gin-based drink topped with a warm white foam made from lemon-infused 68-degree egg. This one was much talked about during the first flight of snacks.

Almonds with fried curry (2005): a nod to El Bulli’s simpler foods, these marcona almonds were tossed in egg whites and then curry powder before being baked.

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(Image: Renée Suen)

Warm caipi-mojito (appeared on El Bulli’s menu in 2011): the aromatic cocktail involved steeping mint leaves in warm cachaça (normally used in caipirinhas), which was decanted tableside into glasses with fresh mint and lime (as in Mojitos)

Warm caipi-mojito (appeared on El Bulli’s menu in 2011): the aromatic cocktail involved steeping mint leaves in warm cachaça (normally used in caipirinhas), which was decanted tableside into glasses with fresh mint and lime (as in Mojitos)